Santa Maria barbecue is hot ticket at farmers’ market

1of4These are some of the fruits found at the Thursday night market in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Thursday July 16, 20015. (photo by Randi Lynn Beach)Photo: Randi Lynn Beach, Special to The Chronicle

2of4These are some of the vegetables found at the Thursday night market in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Thursday July 16, 20015. (photo by Randi Lynn Beach)Photo: Randi Lynn Beach, Special to The Chronicle

3of4Sergio Alvarez works at the Thursday night market in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Thursday July 16, 20015. (photo by Randi Lynn Beach)Photo: Randi Lynn Beach, Special to The Chronicle

4of4This is the barbeque stand outside F.McLintock Saloon & Dining at the Thursday night market in San Luis Obispo, Calif., Thursday July 16, 20015. (photo by Randi Lynn Beach)Photo: Randi Lynn Beach, Special to The Chronicle

Thursday evenings, people in San Luis Obispo wait for the whistle to blow. It happens at 6 p.m. on Higuera Street, the main artery through downtown, and marks the official start of the Farmers’ Market.

In this Central Coast town, where agriculture and viticulture are a way of life, the farmers’ market draws as many as 10,000 people each week. Organizers say it’s the largest in the state. Nearly 70 farmers from the Central Coast and the San Joaquin Valley line five blocks between Osos and Nipomo streets, selling everything from seasonal produce to flowers.

Rudy Domingo, owner of Domingo Farms in Arroyo Grande, remembers in the 1970s and ’80s when Higuera used to be a “cruising street” where young folks would drive up and down the main drag, showing off their cars. On Thursday nights, the downtown shopkeepers liked to stay open past 5 p.m., hoping to bring in more business. But the cruisers deterred shoppers from coming.

“The city wanted to block the street off,” said Domingo, who has been selling his produce, including cilantro, beets, collard greens, kale and radishes at the market since its inception in 1983. “So they started a farmers’ market, closed the street off to traffic, and from there it evolved rather quickly.”

Over the years, the event has grown to include ready-to-eat food concession stands, musicians, entertainment for the kids, a bike valet for cyclists and booths promoting local businesses — about 120 vendors total. But the main draw may just be the Santa Maria-style barbecue. In front of F. McClintock’s Saloon and Dining House, they start setting up the grills early because people begin lining up 30 minutes before the whistle blows to get tri-tip and ribs with all the fixings. The market organizers put out tables and chairs, but when those run out, diners sit along the sidewalk.

“It’s curbside eating with a gutter view,” said Tyler Ortali, who started working for McClintock’s selling lemonade at the farmers’ market when he was 13 years old. He had an in — his father is one of the founders and owners.

The restaurant, however, isn’t the only place to find barbecue at the farmers’ market. Mother’s Tavern and the Rib Line, among others, are there every Thursday, offering up ribs, pulled pork, chicken and the requisite tri-tip.

Silas Olivas, cook at the Rib Line, said on a good night he can go through 240 tri-tip sandwiches, 40 racks of pork ribs and 80 racks of beef.

“It’s a lively evening,” he said. “Everyone is having a good time.”

Henry Egan, 8, who with his family was eating barbecue, sprawled out on the sidewalk, said he loves the jugglers and the bouncy house. The Egans, who live in nearby Los Osos, said they never miss a farmers’ market.

Miranda Patrick, associate baker and head decorator at Cowboy Cookies, said the bakery participated in the first farmers’ market and has been doing it ever since. Even though the shop is on Higuera Street, right in the thick of the market, Patrick and the rest of the crew schlep the cookies curbside to their regular booth, where they do a bang-up business.

“Our prices are the same,” she said. “The cookies are the same.” But there’s something about eating them alfresco that seems to appeal to the crowds.

“The farmers’ market is fast paced,” Patrick said. “Lots of families, college kids from Cal Poly and tourists. There is something about it that’s very wholesome.”

Craig Righetti of Righetti Ranch started out bringing 100 avocados to the farmers’ market. Now he brings four times that amount — the demand is that high.

“And you can count on freshness,” he said, adding that he grows them only a few miles away. The bulk of his avocados are sold to a packing plant in Southern California. But the market has become a tradition for him and his daughter, Tricia, who comes every week and has watched it expand tenfold.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the tantalizing smells and sights of this market, which stretches along five city blocks. The lines can be long, and the throngs of people wandering the streets can make it easy to overlook certain stalls. So here’s a guide to what not to miss.

The tri-tip. This beef cut and preparation — roasted over red oak on a special grill that raises and lowers the meat to the flame — is unique to the Central Coast (Santa Maria, to be specific). Many people outside California have never heard of tri-tip and can’t even find the cut in their local supermarkets. So when in Rome ...

Roasted corn on the cob. A number of the food stalls do it Mexican-style, roasted over an open flame in the husks. Then they slather it in a mixture of butter and mayonnaise and sprinkle it with a little cotija cheese, chili powder and lime.

Righetti Ranch avocados. They’re the Hass variety, fresh right off the tree and as local as it gets — 4 miles away. The Righetti booth organizes the fruit by size and ripeness, and I bet if you ask nice they’ll cut one open for you so you can eat right there.

Grilled turkey legs.Not into red meat? Go for one of the giant grilled drumsticks ($7) at the Mother’s Tavern booth. It’s portable so you don’t have to find a seat.

Berries. On a recent visit, the market was overflowing with berries — strawberries, blackberries and blueberries all grown within 100 miles. Grab a basket to snack on while strolling the five blocks of the market.

Student-grown produce. Cal Poly has a booth where students sell their school-grown citrus, tomatoes and vegetables. I like to support young farmers. And in the bargain I got some delicious fresh tomatoes.

Cowboy Cookies. The names of the cookies alone — the Outlaw, a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips, or the Cowchip, a traditional chocolate chip cookie — are worth the price ($1.75). They’re huge, made with a lot of butter, a lot of sugar and a lot of love, says baker Miranda Patrick.

Thai iced tea. Thirsty from all that food? Try the Thai iced tea. It’s a particular favorite with the vendors, who rush over on their breaks to get a cup.

Eye candy. Flowers are also a good choice at this farmers’ market, even though you can’t eat them. But they’re fresh, local, popping with color and fairly inexpensive (for example, a bunch of sweet peas cost $4 or six stems of sunflowers for $5). One stand sells nothing but lavender.

Stacy has worked at the San Francisco Chronicle as a reporter since 1997, when she moved to San Francisco after previously working at the Rocky Mountain News, Los Angeles Daily News, San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. She started at the Chronicle as a general assignment reporter, covering breaking news, catastrophes, crime, criminal and civil trials. Later, she moved to the food and wine section, where she covered food and wine trends and news.

Her stories include full coverage of the Yosemite murders and the Scott Peterson case, the beleaguered California olive industry and farming and ranching issues. Currently, she is a business reporter, covering the food and wine industries, agriculture and tourism.